Colin Skinner

Big Band Saxophonist

Lead Alto Saxophone

Ruislip

About Colin Skinner

World renowned as a lead saxophonist, Colin plays with all the major Big Bands in the UK including the Glenn Miller and Syd Lawrence Orchestras, BBC Big Band, Echoes of Ellington, Back to Basie and his own award winning band the Skelton Skinner All Stars.

Colin studied bassoon at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow before moving to London to study at the Trinity College of Music, playing saxophone with the Jazz Orchestra directed by Bobby Lamb.

In 1987 he joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra (UK) as lead Alto, a post he held for 8 years. Colin has played with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the B.B.C. Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Halle Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He has also recorded with the BBC Big Band under the direction of the legendary Billy May, and worked with artists such as Tony Bennett, Ray Charles and Dame Shirley Bassey.

In the West End Colin has been a member of the orchestra in the shows Company, Damn Yankees, Chicago, Anything Goes, Acorn Antiques and most recently, Sinatra.

Colin plays lead Alto with Echoes of Ellington and Back to Basie and leads his own big band, Skelton Skinner All Stars.
He writes and arranges for all the major Big Bands in the UK including the Glenn Miller and Syd Lawrence Orchestras, BBC Big Band, Echoes of Ellington, Back to Basie and his own award winning band the Skelton Skinner All Stars. His arrangements can be heard on Kevin Spacey's Bobby Darin Biopic 'Beyond The Sea' and on countless albums including those of The John Wilson Orchestra.